Matpakke

Meaning: The plain packed lunch of open sandwiches in paper, eaten at your desk — a small national institution.

Language: Norwegian

Literally: food packet

Category: Everyday

Origin: Norwegian mat ('food') + pakke ('packet').

More untranslatable words — Everyday

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Blunda — To close your eyes on purpose — and, by extension, to knowingly refuse to see something.
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Zapoi — A bender running for days, in which a person drops out of ordinary life entirely.

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Utepils — The specific pleasure of sitting outside in the sun and drinking a beer — a ritual that f…
Pålegg — Anything you might put on a slice of bread — cheese, ham, jam, egg, whatever — gathered u…
Dugnad — Unpaid work done together for the common good — neighbours painting the building, parents…

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